Climatic Change Ruining Rural Livelihoods
By Nontlantla Skenjana
December 2009 was a crucial month to farmers across the globe as different nations gathered together for the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference. It was hoped that the outcomes would be concrete resolutions that reflect the commitment of the nations to addressing and confronting climatic change. This comes at the eve of the end of the Kyoto Protocol commitment period in 2012. Much has been achieved in creating awareness of climatic change and there have been some visible strides, such as eco-housing initiatives, wind turbines, reforestation and many other initiatives linked to the reduction of the carbon imprint.
There have been expressions of reservation on the outcomes of the conference. The issue at hand is whether the rural poor communities will be able to survive the drastic climatic changes experienced recently. In many instances, particularly in South Africa, the poor residing in rural areas have been hardest hit by socio-economic challenges, particularly a lack of resources and services. This has been worsened by the HIV/Aids pandemic, malnutrition and cholera outbreaks.
The rural areas are the most underdeveloped due to a previous bias to urban development. However, with the new priorities, including rural development, there is hope for more investment in rural development. In the Eastern Cape, 60 percent of the province is rural. Success of rural development is certainly going to significantly have positive spin-offs for the province at large, particularly in the north-east portion, which hosted the infamous Bantustans in the past.
It has also been found that there is very good potential for agricultural development in the rural areas. Arable land has been lying idle for more than 10 years. Some land is now degraded and some is overgrown with alien vegetation and trees, which has been detrimental to the land as they do not support the local ecosystem. The system of settlement in the area has led to limited grazing land, which in turn has led to soil erosion, creating dongas in some areas. Some rural communities continue to use wood as an energy source and are unaware of alternative energy beyond electricity.
The majority of rural farmers grow maize. Many are sceptical of other crops. Research shows that the Eastern Cape has potential for subsistence and even commercial agriculture that could produce for export markets. However, Kaiser et al (1993: 12) urges the need for communities to adapt to climatic change. He further expresses a concern that when assessing the potential yield of arable land, scientists utilise crop model simulations, which at times assume the constancy of factors and therefore do not take into account the impact of climatic change. He argues that these crop models may produce estimates that are not accurate thereby misleading the farmer or investor on the potential of the land.
Bates et al (2008:128) point out that the impact of climate change is most likely to be felt in environments that suffer from other social ills, such as poverty as well as poor accessibility to water and other resources. Many of the rural areas are semi-arid and do not have irrigation systems or easy access to running water. They therefore depend on the availability of rainfall for the sustainability of their agricultural activities. Furthermore, they are subject to frequently changing weather conditions. There have been instances of flooding, tornados and shifting seasons that have had an adverse impact on the livelihoods of the poor. Although interventions, like the involvement of AsgiSA-EC, are being implemented at different levels of government, since most of the activities are land-based, these changes have affected schedules and yields.
The demands of food security globally make agricultural activities a possible economic development option for the rural areas. However, caution must be exercised to reduce tillage and guard against increasing arid land, land degradation and shore fallows as these could lead to drought. As strategies are adopted to adapt to climate change, these adaptations must take into consideration development, as well as social, environmental and health concerns.
In the 2009/10 planting season, farmers started planting their crops late due to delayed rains and persistent cold; this has also affected the fruit production cycle. Hardy (2003:120) states that farmers must start planting climate-adapted species, using pesticides and alter their production dates. Kaiser et al (1993:12) agree with the switching of crops, but also add that there should be an altering of crop mix and a change to more profitable yields. They cautiously add that the world is still dependent on climate resources for production. Kaiser et al (1993: 94) suggest Farm-Level-Adaptations as follows:
• Changing the ploughing, planting and harvesting dates.
• Applying more fertilisers that are suitable for the land.
• Installation of irrigation systems.
• The development of new varieties.
Lack of knowledge has long been recognised as a potentially fatal drawback even for entire nations. Our rural communities suffer a serious dearth of information that would help actualise themselves. A greater effort must therefore be made to bring awareness of the implications of climate change to the communities and what they need to do in order to protect or reorganize their livelihoods. The possible decreases in yields may discourage them from making farming an enterprise. Therefore, the responsible officials must make a conscious effort of making people understand the need for switching crops and also engaging in more research on specific areas for the introduction of new varieties and alternative technology.
Institutions, like the Eastern Cape Alternative Technology Unit (ECATU), have a great responsibility of responding to climatic change using natural resources and indigenous knowledge to sustain the current initiatives. The Rural Development Strategy that is being finalised is a good platform for the adaptation of rural development, both agricultural and non-agricultural, to the climate change through a reconsideration of the Sustainable Villages concept. Most rural communities are under resourced and dependent on government grants for a living. They would, therefore, be unable to install irrigation systems and may find it expensive to increase the fertilisers and pesticides.
The fluctuations in temperature and in rainfall are not only detrimental to the crops being planted but also to people, particularly the poor who suffer from extended illnesses like pneumonia and tuberculosis, while homes are destroyed by winds and floods. The drought and floods also make communities vulnerable to diseases such as cholera.
Some rural households have been in the business of selling seasonal produce, such as maize, pineapples, mangoes and peaches. The temperature changes have affected the household incomes as sales start later than normal. The decreased yields in farms affect the farm workers who find themselves unemployed as the farmers try to cope with the soaring production costs.
As most households in rural areas are dependent on government grants and support, the question is whether these communities will be able to survive without the assistance of government. Government initiatives must help communities rise above poverty and create an environment that facilitates community-driven development, building on available human capital and natural resources. Moreover, even as government plays its role, communities must also try to sustain their own development and break new grounds through innovation.
References:
• Bates B.C., Kundzewizc Z.W., Wu S. & Pabutilcot J.P. (Eds). 2008. Climatic Change and Water- Technical Paper of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climatic Change. Geneva: IPCC Secretariat.
• Hardy J.T. 2003. Climatic Change – Causes, Effects and Solutions. England: Wiley.
• Kaiser H.M. & Drennen T.E. (Eds). 1993. Agricultural Dimensions of Global Climate Change. Florida: St Lucie Press.
• Rural Development Planning Division. www.jircas.affrc.go.jp/english/aboutjircas/divisions/rural/index.html. Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences. Accessed 25 January 2010.
• Simplify EC’s Rural Strategy. 28 January 2010. http://www.dispatch.co.za/article.aspx?id=375902. Accessed 29 January 2010.
December 2009 was a crucial month to farmers across the globe as different nations gathered together for the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference. It was hoped that the outcomes would be concrete resolutions that reflect the commitment of the nations to addressing and confronting climatic change. This comes at the eve of the end of the Kyoto Protocol commitment period in 2012. Much has been achieved in creating awareness of climatic change and there have been some visible strides, such as eco-housing initiatives, wind turbines, reforestation and many other initiatives linked to the reduction of the carbon imprint.
There have been expressions of reservation on the outcomes of the conference. The issue at hand is whether the rural poor communities will be able to survive the drastic climatic changes experienced recently. In many instances, particularly in South Africa, the poor residing in rural areas have been hardest hit by socio-economic challenges, particularly a lack of resources and services. This has been worsened by the HIV/Aids pandemic, malnutrition and cholera outbreaks.
The rural areas are the most underdeveloped due to a previous bias to urban development. However, with the new priorities, including rural development, there is hope for more investment in rural development. In the Eastern Cape, 60 percent of the province is rural. Success of rural development is certainly going to significantly have positive spin-offs for the province at large, particularly in the north-east portion, which hosted the infamous Bantustans in the past.
It has also been found that there is very good potential for agricultural development in the rural areas. Arable land has been lying idle for more than 10 years. Some land is now degraded and some is overgrown with alien vegetation and trees, which has been detrimental to the land as they do not support the local ecosystem. The system of settlement in the area has led to limited grazing land, which in turn has led to soil erosion, creating dongas in some areas. Some rural communities continue to use wood as an energy source and are unaware of alternative energy beyond electricity.
The majority of rural farmers grow maize. Many are sceptical of other crops. Research shows that the Eastern Cape has potential for subsistence and even commercial agriculture that could produce for export markets. However, Kaiser et al (1993: 12) urges the need for communities to adapt to climatic change. He further expresses a concern that when assessing the potential yield of arable land, scientists utilise crop model simulations, which at times assume the constancy of factors and therefore do not take into account the impact of climatic change. He argues that these crop models may produce estimates that are not accurate thereby misleading the farmer or investor on the potential of the land.
Bates et al (2008:128) point out that the impact of climate change is most likely to be felt in environments that suffer from other social ills, such as poverty as well as poor accessibility to water and other resources. Many of the rural areas are semi-arid and do not have irrigation systems or easy access to running water. They therefore depend on the availability of rainfall for the sustainability of their agricultural activities. Furthermore, they are subject to frequently changing weather conditions. There have been instances of flooding, tornados and shifting seasons that have had an adverse impact on the livelihoods of the poor. Although interventions, like the involvement of AsgiSA-EC, are being implemented at different levels of government, since most of the activities are land-based, these changes have affected schedules and yields.
The demands of food security globally make agricultural activities a possible economic development option for the rural areas. However, caution must be exercised to reduce tillage and guard against increasing arid land, land degradation and shore fallows as these could lead to drought. As strategies are adopted to adapt to climate change, these adaptations must take into consideration development, as well as social, environmental and health concerns.
In the 2009/10 planting season, farmers started planting their crops late due to delayed rains and persistent cold; this has also affected the fruit production cycle. Hardy (2003:120) states that farmers must start planting climate-adapted species, using pesticides and alter their production dates. Kaiser et al (1993:12) agree with the switching of crops, but also add that there should be an altering of crop mix and a change to more profitable yields. They cautiously add that the world is still dependent on climate resources for production. Kaiser et al (1993: 94) suggest Farm-Level-Adaptations as follows:
• Changing the ploughing, planting and harvesting dates.
• Applying more fertilisers that are suitable for the land.
• Installation of irrigation systems.
• The development of new varieties.
Lack of knowledge has long been recognised as a potentially fatal drawback even for entire nations. Our rural communities suffer a serious dearth of information that would help actualise themselves. A greater effort must therefore be made to bring awareness of the implications of climate change to the communities and what they need to do in order to protect or reorganize their livelihoods. The possible decreases in yields may discourage them from making farming an enterprise. Therefore, the responsible officials must make a conscious effort of making people understand the need for switching crops and also engaging in more research on specific areas for the introduction of new varieties and alternative technology.
Institutions, like the Eastern Cape Alternative Technology Unit (ECATU), have a great responsibility of responding to climatic change using natural resources and indigenous knowledge to sustain the current initiatives. The Rural Development Strategy that is being finalised is a good platform for the adaptation of rural development, both agricultural and non-agricultural, to the climate change through a reconsideration of the Sustainable Villages concept. Most rural communities are under resourced and dependent on government grants for a living. They would, therefore, be unable to install irrigation systems and may find it expensive to increase the fertilisers and pesticides.
The fluctuations in temperature and in rainfall are not only detrimental to the crops being planted but also to people, particularly the poor who suffer from extended illnesses like pneumonia and tuberculosis, while homes are destroyed by winds and floods. The drought and floods also make communities vulnerable to diseases such as cholera.
Some rural households have been in the business of selling seasonal produce, such as maize, pineapples, mangoes and peaches. The temperature changes have affected the household incomes as sales start later than normal. The decreased yields in farms affect the farm workers who find themselves unemployed as the farmers try to cope with the soaring production costs.
As most households in rural areas are dependent on government grants and support, the question is whether these communities will be able to survive without the assistance of government. Government initiatives must help communities rise above poverty and create an environment that facilitates community-driven development, building on available human capital and natural resources. Moreover, even as government plays its role, communities must also try to sustain their own development and break new grounds through innovation.
References:
• Bates B.C., Kundzewizc Z.W., Wu S. & Pabutilcot J.P. (Eds). 2008. Climatic Change and Water- Technical Paper of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climatic Change. Geneva: IPCC Secretariat.
• Hardy J.T. 2003. Climatic Change – Causes, Effects and Solutions. England: Wiley.
• Kaiser H.M. & Drennen T.E. (Eds). 1993. Agricultural Dimensions of Global Climate Change. Florida: St Lucie Press.
• Rural Development Planning Division. www.jircas.affrc.go.jp/english/aboutjircas/divisions/rural/index.html. Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences. Accessed 25 January 2010.
• Simplify EC’s Rural Strategy. 28 January 2010. http://www.dispatch.co.za/article.aspx?id=375902. Accessed 29 January 2010.